FOLLOWING on from a highly successful Equine Welfare Symposium earlier this year and in the wake of numerous equine welfare-related stories hitting the mainstream press, the North of Ireland Veterinary Association has launched a report in the Long Gallery, Stormont outlining several key equine welfare priorities.

The report takes into consideration the views of equine professionals, industry bodies, veterinarians and a broad spectrum of stakeholders involved in the equine industry and identifies fundamental priorities, including:

  • The need for specific Government strategy and policy on equine welfare
  • The need to secure access to veterinary medicines following the full implementation of the Windsor Framework
  • The need to regulate farriers (NI is the only region in the UK without such regulation)
  • The enforcement of current welfare legislation
  • An effective system for equine traceability
  • A review of regulations regarding transportation, especially for horses being exported for slaughter
  • A call for regulation of horse ownership and improved education for horse owners.

    • The event was hosted by Colin McGrath MLA and keynote speakers included Mr Roly Owers MBE, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare and Brigadier David Greenwood, Registrar of The Farriers Registration Council.

    Commenting on the report, equine veterinarian and Senior Vice President of NIVA Esther Skelly-Smith said, “This report is an important milestone for equine welfare in Northern Ireland, providing an essential building block on the journey towards ensuring improvements to the health and wellbeing of horses here.

    “We look forward to continuing to work alongside our partners and moving closer to achieving our goal of establishing welfare excellence across all the industry.”

    The intention of the report is to stimulate further collaborative working and action. NIVA will continue to review the issues raised in the report and seek to influence decision-makers and professionals working on equine welfare, so that equines, and the people working in the industry, have good lives and a positive future.

    The event was attended by industry representatives from across the UK and Ireland. Delegates also took the opportunity to hold key stakeholder meetings around key topics including farriery education and regulation, traceability, industry education and welfare enforcement.